March 3, 2007

Hollywood, CA (PRWeb) March 2, 2007 — Lisa Murray, the independent filmmaker responsible for the popular Internet video, Free Hugs in Hollywood, (which has almost a half a million views and was recently featured on Yahoo’s home page), as well as the Grand Prize winner in Entertainment Tonight’s Search for the Caress Confidante (which won her a VIP trip to the Emmys with ET) has entered a trailer of her documentary, “I Have Dreams Dammit!”, in the new Mark Burnett/Steven Spielberg reality show contest, On The Lot. Murray is hoping her lucky streak will land her a spot on Fox’s hot new reality show.

According to the show’s website, ‘ON THE LOT, executive-produced by Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg, will give aspiring filmmakers from around the world the chance to earn a $1-million development deal at DreamWorks. Airing next spring on FOX, this unscripted series will feature a cast of 16 undiscovered filmmakers who will compete to win the support of the show’s viewers, as their fate will be decided by a weekly audience vote.’

“I am ready for an opportunity like this!” Murray explains. “Any other time, if you would have asked me if I wanted to be on a reality show, I would have said no! But this one is different, this is Mark Burnett, the king of reality shows, and Steven Spielberg, the king of filmmaking! For a filmmaker, this is the reality show to be on!”

Murray launched production on her feature documentary, “I Have Dreams Dammit!” (a film about the pursuit of a dream) during the Martin Luther King weekend. Some of the documentary subjects include a winemaker, a political activist, an entrepreneur, a music artist, and a painter. The film is seen through Murray’s eyes who is living the double life of pursuing her dream of becoming a full-time filmmaker while she holds down a full-time job to pay the bills.

Murray’s Hollywood dream has flirted with her, but she has yet to own it. She was the Grand Prize winner in Entertainment Tonight’s Search for the Caress Confidante in late 2005. Her “creatively scripted and directed submission” (ETonline.com) earned her the prize. After viewing hundreds of entries, celebrity casting directors selected five finalists whose video submissions aired on Entertainment Tonight a month before the Emmys. A panel of celebrity judges (including two Emmy award-winning actresses, Kathryn Joosten and Holland Taylor) were then given the final task of choosing the woman to be the first-ever Caress Confidante, which was announced two weeks before the 57th Emmys on Entertainment Tonight. The ET cameras followed Murray to capture her week of living like a star and viewers followed along by reading her blog entries and by voting on her designer dresses and shoes on ETonline.com

“If I am chosen as one of the 16 filmmakers, this will no doubt be the most incredible experience in my life! It will be like a crash course in all styles of filmmaking, intense competition, and human psychology!” Murray adds, “I’m ready for it! Bring it! (Dammit!)” As part of her documentary project, Murray has recently posted a video blog on the home page of her company’s website (http://www.SkyLifeProductions.com) calling for other dreamers to submit videos of their dreams. “I love hearing about other people’s dreams because it is very comforting to remember that I am not alone,” Murray explains, “there are many of us out there, struggling from day to day to go for something worthwhile, something bigger than just paying the bills.”

March 2, 2007

Women find their niche in business world

By TEDDYE SNELLTahlequah Daily Press

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Shiron Ray became an entrepreneur at the tender age of 5, selling her artwork door-to-door before “distracters” told her she had to come in for dinner.
Demonstrating a true entrepreneurial spirit, Ray refused to return home until every one of her paintings was sold.
Today, Ray is a self-proclaimed “filmpreneur.”
“I own Bare Bones Film Making, and I don’t have a job,” said Ray. “A job, to me, means ‘just over broke.’”
Ray was one of two speakers highlighted at Northeastern State University’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Expo, held Wednesday in the Herb Rozell Ballroom of the University Center. The event offered those attending a fresh way at looking at being an entrepreneur.
On her way to becoming a film maker, Ray owned a lawn-mowing business, was a teacher and completed a bachelor’s and master’s degree, as well as a doctorate – well, sort of.
“My boss was enrolled in a doctoral program,” said Ray. “And her name was Sharon, so needless to say, I attended a lot of classes for her during office hours.”
Ray stressed the importance of education and finding one’s niche.
“I didn’t realize it, but my niche is being a last-minute speaker,” said Ray. “People know if a speaker cancels at the last minute, they can call me, because I can organize a talk on short notice – mostly because I speak from my heart, and what I talk about isn’t rocket science or brain surgery.”
Instead of passing out preprinted brochures outlining her speaking points, Ray gave everyone a blank note card and a pen.
“I know where all those printed brochures go,” said Ray. “I also know if you write this down yourself, you’re more apt to reread it.”
Ray had participants write down five questions on the card:
• What would you do if you know you could not fail?
• What are your strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?
• Who is your biggest supporter?
• Who is your biggest distracter?
Ray indicated by answering these questions, many could find what was holding them back from becoming their own boss.
“I like acronyms,” said Ray. “So let’s use the word ‘niche’ to outline what you need to do before going into business.”
“N” indicated need. Ray recommended finding a need that was unfulfilled then going out and doing something about it. “I” stood for investigate and using intuition to make smart decisions. “C” was for courage and creativity, as going into business took both.
“H” stood for helping others. Ray stressed that the more you help others, the more help you would find. Finally, “E” stood for education and enthusiasm, as businesses require a constant influx of both.
The event was hosted by NSU’s Students in Free Enterprise to aid area women who are thinking of going in to business or expanding an existing business. Approximately a dozen vendors participated in the expo, including Dr. Brianna Batey, a local chiropractor with Miller Chiropractic.
“I wanted to come because, as far as I know, I’m the only woman chiropractor in Tahlequah,” said Batey. “That, and I went to school here for a couple of years. I think it’s great they’re offering this opportunity.”
While women make up more than half the population of the United States, they own less than half the businesses. According to the Center for Women’s Business Research, about 27 percent of the businesses in Oklahoma are owned by women.
Grant Alexander, co-Sam Walton fellow for SIFE, hoped the expo reached area women and provided valuable information.
“It’s a great opportunity for women thinking about starting a business to connect with successful entrepreneur in a number of fields,” he said. “We’re very excited about bringing together women entrepreneurs who are willing to share their knowledge and skills.”